I, Moondance
by Saphirerose
Summary: This is the story of how Tallo became Moondance. Chapter one was written by Delphine but had decided to stop posting. I am taking over with her permission.
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimers: The characters are owned by Mercedes Lackey and not me, damn it!  
  
I, Moondance  
  
By Delphine  
  
  
  
Saphirerose - I am continuing after this chapter where Delphine left off and hope to keep it a good story.  
  
"There was a boy," Moondance said, quietly. "His name was Tallo. His parents were farmers, simple people, good people in their way, really. Very tied to their ways, to their land, to the cycle of the seasons. This Tallo...was not. He felt things inside him that were at odds with the life they had. They did not understand their son, who wanted more than just the fields and the harvests. They did love him, though. They got him learning, as best they could; they tried to interest the priest in him. They didn't know that what the boy felt inside himself was something other than a vocation. It was power, but power of another sort than the priest's. The boy learned at last form the books that the priest found him that what he had was what was commonly called magic, and from those few books and the tales he heard, he tried to learn what to do with it. This made him-very different from his former friends, and he began to walk alone. His parents did not understand his need for solitude, they did not understand the strange paths he had begun to walk, and they tried to force him back to the ways of his fathers. There were-arguments. Anger, a great deal of it, on both sides. And there was another thing. They wished him to wed and begin a family. But the boy Tallo had no yearning toward young women-but young men-that was another tale."  
  
-Magic's Pawn  
  
  
  
-Chapter one-  
  
  
  
Tallo fell to the ground, upon his knees, his brown eyes squeezed tight as saltwater tears leaked from them. Oh God, what had he done? His lover was dead and it was his fault. He had murdered him, called down the lightning that had sent him to the shadow-lover. Why? To frighten him into saying that he hadn't meant those cruel words? Look at the price Tallo had paid. His parents and village had beat him, cast him out, his lover scorned him with words he hadn't meant, and he had killed him. Tallo deserved to die.  
  
  
  
The mouse brown-haired boy removed the dagger from his lover's belt. He placed the blade tip against his wrist, weeping as he cut deeply and dark red blood welled forth. Dropping the bloody dagger, Tallo laid himself down, newt to his lover's body. As the gray dirt was stained crimson, he waited to die.  
  
Fear gripped Savil's heart, fear for the wielder of the uncontrolled power she had sensed and fear for anyone on it's receiving end. Beneath her, Kellan spurred on; the Companion compelled by the sense of urgency. One thought continued to ring through Savil's mind, Please don't let us be too late.  
  
Their journey seemed like days until Kellan halted as they reached their destination. Savil slipped down from her Companion's back. She scanned the minds of the two bodies and gasped. One was dead and the other too close for her liking. She cursed softly as she caught site of the boy's bleeding wrist.  
  
She immediately set to wrapping his wrist before giving thoughts on what to do.   
  
: The bleeding was stopped in time, Chosen, the boy can hold out long enough for the other to be buried,:Kellan spoke into her mind.  
  
Savil nodded and set to work. The grave wasn't very deep, she didn't have a shovel and had to resort to using her magic, but it would keep scavengers from getting to the body. Finally, after the grim burial was complete did she turn her attention to the boy. Tentatively, she mind touched him.Gasping at the pain she felt in his mind, she withdrew.   
  
: What happened to him?: she almost cried.  
  
:Heartbreak, Chosen,: Kellan answered,: Heartbreak that has sent him to the edge.:  
  
: The other boy was his lover, wasn't he?:  
  
: Yes.:  
  
Understanding dawned on Savil.   
  
:He killed his lover with his mage gift that was what we felt. It must have gone out of control. Easily understandable in one as untrained as he.: She bit her lip. : How can we help him?:  
  
: One who can relate and understand him, Chosen,: Kellan advised her,: can help.:  
  
But who could? Savil sorely hated it when her Companion decided to be vague. She could take him back to Haven and train him...no, that wouldn't be wise, she realized. The boy was Shay'a'chern, he wouldn't find the peace he needed for healing back there. She needed to find someone who could understand him, like Kellan had advised. It would be preferable that they were a mage. Blue eyes and bleached white hair invaded her mind.  
  
Starwind...yes, Starwind could help. She would take the boy to k'Treva Vale, to the Tayledras. But could they help? The Tayledras, other wise known as the Hawkbrothers, were a secretive people, would they help was the real question. They were indifferent when it came to being Shay'a'chern, so that would be one less thing Savil would have to worry about. Her mind was decided, she would take the boy to the Tayledras.  
  
:I am glad. I know Starwind will help,: Kellan said with absolute faith. She paused and turned her head to look at the boy.:He's awake.:  
  
He was alive. He hurt too much to be anything else. Why? Why hadn't he died? He deserved to die. Tallo cracked his tree bark brown eyes open, wearily. Dark eyes peered at him. It was a woman, twice Tallo's age, with dark hair strung back into a braid and clothed in white...white, she was a Herald! Not many Heralds made a journey this far, why was she here?   
  
  
  
"I am Herald-Mage Savil Ashkevron," she said.  
  
"Why," he choked, starring at his wrapped wrist. "Why didn't you let me die?" Savil's eyes softened.   
  
  
  
"Oh, youngling," she whispered as he broke down into tears.  
  
She offered him comfort by folding him in her arms and rocking him gently, making pleasant, understanding sounds.   
  
  
  
"I deserve to die," he wailed, "I want to die!" Savil felt her heart constrict. She wasn't equipped to handle this situation! She had to get him to Starwind as soon as possible.   
  
"No, you don't," she said, firmly.  
  
"But I do!" he said, weeping. "I killed him." Sighing, she closed her eyes briefly.   
  
  
  
:Kellan, have you been able to get anything from his mind? When I tried to read him, the grief blocks me out.:  
  
:I have, Chosen. The boy is Tallo and just as you surmised he is Shay'a'chern. He did kill his lover with magic, but it was not on purpose. Tallo only meant to frighten him, but he is self-trained and didn't have proper control.:  
  
:Hmm, what brought about this confrontation have you been able to find out?:  
  
:...His parents and others beat Tallo and his lover wen they found out about him being Shay'a'chern and threw them out of the village-:  
  
:-And in turn the lover spurned him,: Savil finished.  
  
:Yes.:  
  
Why didn't people think of what they were doing before they acted? The boy was suffering from a huge, gaping wound that had been torn into him. The best course would be for Savil to get him to k'Treva Vale as soon as possible.  
  
She broke free from the embrace to retrieve a steaming cup of tea that had been brewing, which she handed to him.   
  
  
  
"Drink it," she ordered. "It'll make you fell better."  
  
He looked uncertain, but under her watchful eyes he drank anyway. The drugged tea immediately kicked in, sending him into sleep. Savil winced as she thought of the reactions her Healer friends would have, finding out that she had drugged an injured patient without knowing the extent of his injuries. She hadn't had much of a choice, she couldn't have him putting up a fight or have a total mental breakdown before they reached k'Treva. With a grime face she prepared to create a Gate to the edge of k'Treva territory.  
  
Author's Note: I don't know the names of Starwind and Moondance's bondbirds so I'll just be making them up. Sorry that this chapter is a bit short.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
" 'There are plenty of fish in the sea.'  
  
'Kronch hate fish.'  
  
'Well you always have us.'  
  
'Kronch suddenly have urge for sea bass.'"  
  
-Justice Friends  
  
Savil breathed a sigh of relief as the Gate closed behind her. She sat straddled on her Companion Kellan. The drugged unconscious Tallo rested in front of her, his legs swung to one side. He was leaning against her with his face buried in her neck as if he was a toddler who had fallen asleep on his mother's lap. The Herald-Mage had her arms around his waist, keeping him in the saddle.  
  
The Gate had brought them to the edge of k'Treva territory. She hadn't wanted to get too close until she was sure that the Tayledras would accept Tallo into their care. Even this close to the border would have brought the attention of Hawkbrother scouts. The problem was that she wouldn't be able to spot the scout until he or she showed themselves.   
  
:There's one hidden in the tree to your right,: Kellan offered.  
  
:Anyone we know?: she asked.  
  
:Yes...It's Dreamseeker.:  
  
Ah, Savil remembered the young scout. Good boy, just a little too impulsive for her tastes and definitely far too spacey. She always thought that if he had been born in Valdemar he would have become a Bard, what with his urge to wander and dream.   
  
"Wing to thy wings, Dreamseeker," she called out in the Tayledras tongue.  
  
The soft thud of feet hitting the forest floor alerted Savil that the scout had finally realized who she was.   
  
"And to you, Wingsister," the young voice answered behind her.  
  
Slowly the young form of the scout circled to the front of Kellan. His hair and clothes were dyed to blend in with the surrounding, but she could she the white hair roots peeking out. Ice blue eyes gazed warmly at her and he bowed slightly.   
  
"Of course that extends to the Lady Kellan," he said ever politely.  
  
:I'm ever so grateful that these people don't think I'm a horse!: Kellan told her.  
  
:If they did, you'd be quick to correct them.: she teased.  
  
"If I may ask, what is wrong with the boy?" said Dreamseeker as he eyed the sleeping boy.  
  
"I drugged him," she answered, matter of factly. Eyebrows shot up.   
  
  
  
"Really...and for what purpose?" he questioned. She almost grinned despite the seriousness of the situation. The Tayledras could be so paranoid when it came to strangers.   
  
"Well..."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The bleached hawk gave another cry as her bondmate removed a sticky substance from her feathers.   
  
  
  
"Oh, do stop your complaining. If you had been watching where you were flying instead of trying to show off you might have seen that hertasi before you ran into him and got all of this gook on you," Starwind told her.  
  
The lovely silver-haired Tayledras was an Adept and not averse to removing such substances from his bondbird. Poor Kess had been trying to catch the attention of one male hawk without much success. Normally she was a graceful flyer but in front of Tyri she seemed not to even be able to perform the most basic of aerial tricks.   
  
:Fly like hatchling,: she agreed with depression.He chuckled.   
  
  
  
"It's just nerves, remember I was the same with my first partner."  
  
:Very nervous...stutter badly,: she remarked with a twinkle in her eye.Yes, he remembered that back then when he still had his juvenile name Wildfeather he had been the opposite of his name. Not wild at all but tame and shy. He had only begun to realize that he was Shay'a'chern when he took his first lover; good thing Redcloud wasn't deterred by his stuttering.   
  
"Well, Redcloud did think my stuttering was cute. Who knows, maybe Tyri will think that your determination is endearing." That brightened Kess right up as he thought it would. "Now lets finish cleaning you off."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"I see..." Dreamseeker said, softly. His blue eyes filled with a type of sympathy Savil couldn't identify. "My shifts over, so I'll escort you to Starwind's ekele."  
  
"Thank you." He waved his hand.   
  
"It'll only save you a little trouble. You have enough to worry about anyways." Sighing, Savil concluded that he was right. She could only hope that Starwind really could help Tallo.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The sight of a white horse with two people on it was unusual to see in the vale to say the least. Snowdrop could not help but stare at them. The girl was only fifteen summers old yet she was almost fully developed with dark black hair that had only just begun to bleach and eyes the color of the sky. Absent-mindedly she stroked her bondbird, peregrine falcon Alai's, crest feathers with her eyes studying the group. She noted that Dreamseeker was with them, meaning that for some reason these outlanders had been welcomed to the vale.   
  
"That's Wingsister Savil," her friend Flowerheart told her.  
  
So that was the infamous Herald-Mage, but what could she be doing here? 


	2. chapter 2

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
Chapter two  
  
"Knock, knock"  
  
"I wonder who that could be." Starwind set Kess on a cushion. He rose from his chair and went to the door of ekele. "Hello." He first saw his wingsister Savil. He then smiled at Savil and held out his hands. "Welcome heart-sister, Wingsister Savil," he said in liquid Taylendras tongue. He then glided to her to take her hands into his own. "Always welcome, and well come thou art."  
  
"Starwind, It is wonderful to see you again. I wish it were for more joyful reasons I have come to you today. I am afraid I urgently need your help."  
  
"And you have it." Starwind replied with a look of worry on his face. "But what is it you require?"  
  
"I need your help with this," she said and stepped aside for Starwind to see Dreamseeker holding a sleeping, injured boy in his arms.  
  
"What is the matter with him," he said as he touched Talo brow and yanked his hand back just as quickly as though he had been burned. "God of my fathers and Goddess of my mothers, what have you brought me Wingsister Savil! I have never felt so much pain and grief before!"  
  
Savil sighed, "It is a long story. May we come in?"  
  
"Of course." Starwind replied, quickly stepping aside to let Savil and Dreamseeker enter. "Bring him over here." He said while walking into another room with a bed. Dreamseeker walked over to the bed and placed Tallo on it.  
  
"If that is all you require, I will take my leave now." Dreamseeker said.  
  
"Thank you for your help Dreamseeker, I hope to get to speak with you again." Savil replied.  
  
"Me too. Wind to thy wings Wingsister Savil." He replied.  
  
"Wing to thy wings Dreamseeker." Savil replied as Dreamseeker left the room. Savil turned and saw that Starwind was looking at Tallo." I guess it would be best for me to tell from the beginning what happened."  
  
"The beginning is always the best place to start." Starwind replied. He then glanced up at Savil with worry in his eyes. Savil sighed and sat down in a chair next to the bed.  
  
"Here is what happened."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"I see." Starwind replied after Savil finished her story. He had a look of anger across his face from the thought of what Tallo's supposed family and people had done to him. "I still do not understand your people's blind hatred of the Shay'a'chern but I will do what I can to help him."  
  
"Thank you, I had hope you would be willing to help. I do not understand it either, but I guess people fear what they do not understand." She said with a look of sadness upon her face.  
  
"I had forgotten earlier but where is the white lady Kellan."  
  
:I am in a stable being brushed down. : Kellan replied to Starwind's question.  
  
"She says that she is being brushed down by someone." Savil replied with a yawn.  
  
"It grows late and you must be weary from your long journey. I will take you to a room." Starwind replied.  
  
"But..." Savil replied.  
  
"Do not worry about Tallo, I will watch over him." Starwind said while leading Savil to an extra bed.  
  
"Thank you, Starwind for all your help. Goodnight." Savil said while lying down on the bed.  
  
"Goodnight, Savil." Starwind replied while walking out the door. With a last glace he noticed that she was already asleep. Chuckling, he walked back to his room and looked at Tallo.  
  
"What am I going to do with you?" He said while sitting in the chair Savil had occupied earlier that evening and prepared for a long night.  
  
-To be continued-  
  
Authors note - What do you think of my part of the story. I wrote chapter two and will be the one writing from now on. I hope to have a new chapter out in a week. Please review. This is only my second story to be placed on Fanfiction.net and I am certain I can use all the help I can get. 


	3. Chapter 3

Author note -  
  
I am sorry that this chapter took so long to get out. I hope that it will take less time as the story continues. I am hoping to have at least one chapter out a week. Also, I would like to thank all the people who reviewed this story. I write faster when I know that people are enjoying it. Well, A big thank you to Anita, Delphine, Ola, CaptainLaura, and fireangle for being the first people to read and review this story. Now on to the story.  
  
" Is saying something out loud.  
  
: Is mental communication, like that between Savil and her companion Kellan.  
  
~ Is the character thinking to him/her self.  
  
() Is a dream sequence  
  
Chapter 3  
  
The boy Tallo was still asleep. Whatever Savil had given him was still in effect but at least now it appeared that instead of just being unconscious, he was actually sleeping. It was now still several candle-marks before dawn and not much had changed from late last night. The eckel was quiet and Kess was now with him in his lap instead of in the living room.  
  
: Worries? : Asked Kess looking up at her chosen. He had a serious look on his handsome face and appeared to be thinking about something distressing.  
  
"I do not know if I will be able to help this one. He is really suffering and doesn't wish to live. Even if I managed to heal him completely, if he does not have any desire left to live he will just try and kill himself again. A person cannot live without any joy in their life. They may live a bit longer but eventually they will die from their grief alone." Starwind said sadly as he slowly stroked Kess's bleached white feathers.  
  
: Do best. Dies, will of the Gods. Do best, pray Gods guard child. Help accept what happened. : Kess said wisely trying to comfort Starwind as much as possible.  
  
"You are right but it would still be a shame if one so young were to die." he replied.  
  
~ You must try young one; there is only so much I can do to help. Savil will be upset if you die even with all her hard work to save you. ~  
  
(The area where Tallo was made of complete darkness. He could see nothing no matter where he looked. Then the scenery changed to that of a small crystalline lake surrounded by many trees. He felt a strong body behind his back and turned to face who it was. It was sandy haired young man with light brown eyes. John looked back at him amused.  
  
"You look as though you haven't seen me for a while beloved," he said with a smile.  
  
" Where are we?" Tallo asked not believing his eyes.  
  
" We are at the lake. You fell asleep a while ago and I had not the heart to wake you."  
  
" I had a horrible dream that we were caught."  
  
"It was only a dream." John said while leaning closer to kiss Tallo. Just as their lips met a pair of hands grabbed Tallo and roughly yanked him away from John.  
  
"Demon spawn!!!" said a villager as he punched Tallo in the gut.  
  
"We do not let demons such as you live in this village!!!" as more and more pain was inflicted on him. Just as he felt he could not take any more he was dragged through the forest and thrown to the ground. Gasping from the pain he looked up at the faces that were one time his people he only saw hatred and disgust. He saw his mothers face among them.  
  
" Hell spawn!!! I should have killed you the moment you were born!!!!" she said cruelly and picked up a stone and threw it at his face. It struck his face hard enough to draw blood.  
  
"You only have one chance to leave, both of you." Tallo looked over and saw his lover was in much the same state as he himself was.  
  
"Leave and never return. If you do next time we will kill you monsters." With that the mob started picking up stones and throwing them at the couple. They hurriedly got painfully up at ran. Stones hitting their back as they ran. Finally they were on the main road and the mob seemed to have given up.  
  
"This is all your fault! If not for you I would still be back at the Inn with my friends!!" "How can you blame this on me! It is all the fault of the people back at the village!" Tallo looked at John and saw he was severely injured. He used he self- taught skill to hear John thoughts.  
  
~Why am I blaming this on him. ~ He did nothing wrong and I still love him but I am so mad. ~ Tallo was slowing losing control of his rage. He then got an idea. If he just called the lightning maybe he could scare John to say what he heard him think. He slowly called the lightning like he read how and felt the power build in his hands and released it. He then heard the most horrible scream of his lover.  
  
"Taaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaallllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllloooooooooo oooo!"  
  
"Not again Tallo screamed and fell to his knees sobbing broken heartedly."  
  
"It's all your fault, Murderer!!!!!!" Tallo looked up to see his dead lover's body look at him cruelly. Then he saw other people from his village coming towards him.  
  
"Demon!!!"  
  
"Hell spawn!!!!"  
  
"Demon-child!!!"  
  
"Monster!!!!!!"  
  
Slowly the people came towards him and surrounded him. All still chanting those hateful words. He looked up at the faces as they became like those of monsters.  
  
Then a new voice called out. It was like none he had heard before.  
  
"Wake up! It is nothing more than a nightmare. It is alright it is only a dream." the voice called soothingly. The all of a sudden the people were gone and all that was left was the darkness. )  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
Starwind looked to see that the boy was now dreaming. It went from a pleasant dream to a nightmare quickly. Tallo was now tossing and turning in the bed and was getting tangled in the sheet. All the while he was desperately saying." Please stop!" "It's not my fault!"  
  
"Wake up! It is nothing more than a nightmare. It is alright it is only a dream." Starwing called trying to wake the boy up. Seeing that this wasn't going to work, he braced himself and grabbed Tallo's shoulders and shook him, trying to wake him up from the nightmare he was caught in.  
  
Nothing prepared him for the images he saw from that touch. The guilt and self-hatred radiated of the boys body.  
  
~ It was worse then I had ever feared! ~ He thought horrified at what he was seeing. Gritting his teeth against the images he was seeing, he shook the boy harder. Suddenly the boy woke up and his head would of hit Starwind if Starwind had not moved his head. Then he saw the boy curl up in himself a sob. Starwind listening to his instinct grabbed the boy and drew him against himself and tightened his arms comfortably around the boy.  
  
"It is alright," he said. "Shh. you are safe now. It was only a dream," he said comforting the boy as he slowly rocked him back and forth. Slowly Tallo's sobs ended and he slowly hiccupped a few more times. "Are you alright." comforting voice asked. Tallo felt the chest he was leaning against move as the man spoke. And for the first time since he had woken up he saw the man that had comforted him. He looked in to the man's handsome pale face, and saw eyes like the sky look at him with worry. Pale white- silver hair framed his face. Two small braids were framing his face.  
  
"I ......am..al..right." he croaked. His voice was sore form his crying. He slowly pulled a way from the comforting embrace and drew his arms around himself. He looked at the man and saw he had set his arms down to either side of himself.  
  
"Good, I had become worried. I am sure you are frightened and confused. Do not worry, you are safe here." The man said. Tallo just then realized it was the voice he had heard during his dream.  
  
"Where...Who?" Tallo asked confused.  
  
"Well as for where, you are in K'Treava, in my home. And for who, I am Starwind."  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
To be continued in Chapter 4.  
  
Author's note.  
  
Well, I am finally finished with part 3. The book never gave much information on what had happened so I kind of took what I had thought had happened and put it in the story. The gleeman that was Tallo's lover was never given a name so I took what unnamed men are called and used that. (aka John Doe). I hope that everyone enjoys this chapter and I hope that chapter 4 will be out in a week at the latest. Please read and review. Thank for reading. :) 


	4. Chapter 4

Author's note - Sorry for the delay. I had a lot of work for school and didn't have much time for continuing, added with the fact I was having a bad case of writers block. Hopefully I will be able to have more time to write now that the end of the semester crunch is over. Well here is chapter 4. A big thank you goes out to all those who have been reviewing. -------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
I, Moondance chapter 4  
  
By: Saphirerose  
  
Tallo now looked at the man who had called himself Starwind. He stared at the man who had the silver-white hair of an elder but by all other accounts looked as though he couldn't be more than his mid twenties. His handsome face was a gold in color and was triangular in shape. But what really drew his attention were the man's eyes. They reminded him of the color of ice or a summer sky. They showed wisdom beyond his physical appearance and a sense of power that told all that looked in them that this was not someone to be messed with. Then realizing that he was staring, he quickly turned his gaze to the quilt covering his lap, trying to control his blush.  
  
"Do you feel better now that some of your questions have been answered? I know you have many more and I will try to answer them all to the best of my ability."  
  
Then to Tallo's amazement a snow-white bird flew into the room. I seemed drawn to the man named Starwind. Starwind placed one tan arm out and the bird landed upon it.  
  
Seeing the amazement on the boy's face he smiled. Perhaps Kess may be able to reach him while I may not.  
  
: Kess? :  
  
: Chosen:  
  
: I wanted to know if you would be willing to speech with the boy. Perhaps you can reach where I cannot. He guards himself against humans, but with what I have seen of what happened to him I wouldn't blame him in the least. :  
  
: They did? :  
  
: His own people turned against him when they found out he was Shay'a'chern. :  
  
: Nice race humans:  
  
: Not all are bad but most are ignorant:  
  
: Will talk, reach boy: Starwind gave her a light toss and she drifted over to Tallo.  
  
Tallo watched the beautiful bird and wondered why it seemed to fly towards him. She Landed in front of him she walked up his leg with an odd little waddle. Birds were known for grace and beauty in the air but certainly not for their grace while on the ground.  
  
Tallo reached out a curious hand to touch the bird, but stopped before he could. He looked up at the Starwind with a question is in brown eyes. The man nodded yes, and waved a tan hand at the white bird. Tallo decided that meant he had permission and touched the snowy bird on the head. He first lightly rubbed the white head afraid that he would injure the beautiful bird.  
  
Starwind just sat back a bit and watched. It was obvious from the way he handled Kess that he was afraid he would hurt her.  
  
~ He is so afraid that he will hurt another. So much fear is hardly healthy. At the moment, if someone were to startle the boy he would unconsciously call upon his power and would likely mistakenly injure if not kill another person. I cannot allow that to happen. It will be hard enough to get him to except my help now. If he were to hurt someone else he wouldn't be able to forgive himself. Then I would not be able to keep him from taking his own life. ~ Starwind mused while Kess continued to check the boy out for him.  
  
: What have you found? :  
  
: Power. Potential. Lots. Possible adept. :  
  
: An adept!! We are lucky he didn't wipe out a whole city. :  
  
: Won't touch power. Afraid. No more death. :  
  
: He can't expect for people to let his untrained power lose. The heralds are bound by law that they must take all untrained power to a place where they can gain control. :  
  
: Don't care. Refuses to learn. :  
  
: I may just have to force him to learn. If I give him no choice but to learn, he will possibly grow to hate me but for his safety and others I would do it. :  
  
: Not sure best choice. Pull away if try. Need friend, understanding. :  
  
: It looks like I will not have a choice. :  
  
Starwind continued to look at the boy. He seemed to have grown attached to Kess. It seems it was a good idea to let him meet her.  
  
Tallo felt those strange eyes once more on him but he was enjoying paying attention to the bird too much at the moment to care.  
  
~Might as well enjoy it while I can, though the bird didn't seem to mind. I don't plan to be here alive long enough to do it again. ~  
  
Starwing could now feel distress from Kess. I shook him to feel so much sorrow.  
  
: What is the matter!? : He asked quite confused. She was fine a moment ago and was enjoying Tallo's attention.  
  
: Dark thoughts. Plot own death. : She said sadly.  
  
:I knew it wouldn't last long. He is already getting ready to try again. I knew I was going to have my hands full with this one. : ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------- Author's note- Well how do you like it? I know it is taking a while to get to the action but I decided to take my time and fully develop their friendship first. A special thank you goes to Fireangle who pointed out a song based on Moondance. It has proved invaluable in this story. I also now have a copy of it on audio and am enjoying it immensely. And another to CaptainLaura who pointed out that the bird's speech patterns were choppier. I love all the review I have gotten so far and it is what is making me continue this story. A big thank you to all who have read and I can't wait to read more of your reviews. 


	5. Chapter 5

I, Moondance Chapter 5  
  
By: Saphirerose  
  
Author's note- I am back. Sorry for the long delay. Every time I tried to work on this I either had schoolwork or what I wrote was total garbage. Thank you to all who have been requesting this story to continue.  
  
" Is saying something out loud.  
  
: Is mental communication, like that between Savil and her companion Kellan.  
  
~ Is the character thinking to him/her self.  
  
() Is a dream sequence  
  
Chapter 5  
  
"Tallo." Starwind said trying to get Tallo's attention. The boy started and nearly dropped Kess out of his lap. Kess gave an indignant cry, and then resettled herself. Tallo looked up at Starwind his brown eyes afraid and slightly darker from his suicidal thoughts.  
  
"Yes?" he asked quietly, once more petting Kess's head. Kess lightly coed, greatly enjoying the attention she was receiving.  
  
~ If I was the jealous type I would think Tallo was trying to steal Kess form me and Kess would allow it. ~ Starwind thought amused.  
  
" I am certain you are curious about why you were brought here. Other than for me to save your life, Savil also thought it best for you to be in a place where you would be excepted."  
  
"What do you mean?" Tallo asked confused.  
  
" I know that you prefer males." Starwind said as gently as possible. Tallo looked like he had been smacked then quickly looked down at Kess, hiding his face in shame.  
  
" It is not something to be ashamed of. It is natural for some males and females to be attracted to people of their own sex. "  
  
"No it's not." Tallo said in a barely heard whisper. Starwind could hear the shame in his voice and felt a strong desire to remove it.  
  
~ How can people be so cruel as to make this child feel such self-hatred. I just hope I can give him a little hope. ~  
  
"How can it not be natural when animals, who are the most natural, are at times Shay'a'chern. It may not be good for the species if too many are but it does happen." Starwind said sternly leaving no room for doubt about what he was saying. Tallo looked startled at what Starwind was saying but didn't reply.  
  
"Also, you were brought here so you can be taught to control you abilities." Tallo's reaction was immediate.  
  
"I have no desire to have anything to do with my "abilities!" All it has done is cause me nothing but trouble. I will not risk hurting another person!" Tallo exclaimed, his voice very cold and his eyes like steel.  
  
~ So he can be strong when he has to. In this case it may not be a good thing. This will probably make things even more difficult. I guess this is what Kess meant when she said that he would be stubborn. ~ Starwind mused.  
  
"Even so, you do not have a choice. I will not let you remain untrained. Right now you are a danger to yourself and the people living around you." Starwind firmly.  
  
"It was my learning to control my abilities that lead to me being a danger!" Tallo exclaimed.  
  
"That was because you were training yourself. If you had been trained by another mage, things would've been different; your power would not have gone out of control. It is sad that you grew up with out anyone to teach you, and very lucky that your power didn't go out of your control sooner. Know this, now that you have been found to have mage capabilities, you will not be left alone to lose control again. All the mages will now look for you and try to teach you. Untrained power is like dried wood just waiting for a spark to catch it on fire." Starwind said looking at Tallo once more. Tallo's face was pale and sad.  
  
"But I murdered John." The sadness and guilt in Tallo's voice was very clear.  
  
"Yes you did but it wasn't completely your fault. Even though, this is true, you will have to live with this knowledge for the rest of your life.  
  
"So who will teach me?" Tallo said dejected.  
  
"I will." Starwind said trying to calm Tallo down.  
  
Tallo just looked at Starwind shocked, eyes completely surprised at the idea that Starwind would be the one to teach him.  
  
"Don't look so surprised. I am a fully trained adept and fully capable of keeping your power from going completely out of control again. If you hadn't noticed, there is now a shield around your power to keep it somewhat under your control. This will remain there until you can do it yourself. Now I think you should go back to sleep. There are still many candle-marks before dawn and you will need your sleep. Tomorrow, I will start your training.  
  
To be continued in chapter 6  
  
Author's note - So what do you think? I never thought it would take this long to get chapter 5 out. I just hope it doesn't take me another 3 months to get out chapter 6. Anyway I can't wait to hear what you have to say so please review. 


	6. Chapter 6

I, Moondance Chapter 6  
  
By: Saphirerose  
  
Author's note Finally I got the next chapter out.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Tallo POV  
  
I awoke and looked to the gray light of false dawn. No amount of turning could remove the glare from my eyes. My first thought was why was the light in my room. I always woke up before dawn but the only window I have faces away from the dawn and towards the sunset. Also now that I thought about it the bed was much too comfortable to be mine. My father was a firm believer that any luxury would corrupt a person and lead them away from God. My mother was the only one who was allowed any comfort and that was maybe new cloth bought from the town store for a Church dress.  
  
Hardship was what my village strived for. To them it was the fastest way to get to heaven. This idea never made sense to me. Why shouldn't people enjoy the world around them? Finally I drew the quilt away from my shoulders and for the first time I felt the cut on my wrist and the bandages that wrapped it.  
  
I stared at it in fascination and realized my banishment, John death, my attempt at suicide, the herald and the silver haired man, wasn't a dream like I had hoped. It was true, all of it. Just another thing to make me an embarrassment to my family not being the perfect son, John and now going against two of the churches firmest rules. One rule against suicide and the second for murder. Truly I deserved the hatred of my village.  
  
I fingered the bandage around my wrist feeling the burn that came with it. I may have not tried to cut my wrist before but I knew that it was much too healed for it to have healed itself. Frustrated that I was still alive and unable to pay for the death of John, I yanked the bandage away from the skin and felt some satisfaction at the blood that welled up from the wound. I watched as the blood slowly dripped down my arm.  
  
I didn't even hear when the door opened and someone scrambled to the side of the bed. I almost didn't even register when a pale hand gripped my arm and drew it away from my view. Blankly I turned and faced the intruder and saw the head of silver hair obscuring my view of my arm. I heard something muttered in a strange language as energy ran across my arm, healing the wound only enough to stop the bleeding. From the stand next to the bed he drew fresh bandages and quickly rewrapped my arm.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ POV Starwind  
  
'Damn it' I cursed silently. Why did I leave him alone? I should have realized even though he woke up for a while before he would still be disoriented. Obviously he was still depressed since he ripped the wound open again and undid all my hard work. At least I caught him before he collapsed form blood lost. I glanced up and winced at the dead, glassy brown eyes that looked back at me. I watched him for a moment. He didn't move or seem to register anything even though his arm had to be in incredible pain. All he did was stare at his wrist as though it was the most interesting thing in the world. I grimaced and look toward the bandage once more. Good the bleeding had now stopped and there was no more risk to Tallo's life unless you counted Tallo himself. 


	7. Chapter 7

I Am Moondance Chapter 7  
By Saphirerose  
  
Starwind glanced down at Tallo who still had a blank look in his brown eyes. This look of death chilled Starwind for he knew the cause was a lingering sense of guilt and sorrow for his lover's death. Trying to cause a reaction he reach out and touched Tallo's check.  
Tallo eyes turned to the right to glimpse Starwind's pale hand. Finally Tallo seemed to awake from his dreamy state and asked in a quiet voice,"why?"  
Starwind shuttered at the despair that one word contained. He glanced away from Tallo's face and tried to find an answer that would not give Tallo more reasons for Tallo's over emotional mind to reject. "Because two deaths will not be any better than one. If you truly regret what you have done, you must be willing to try to make amends. Someone who does nothing but take his life is blind and uncaring to all the good they may yet do. I think that you may make amends by helping others with your gifts. Perhaps in time you will gain a sense of peace." Starwind said praying that the attack using Tallo's own guilt would work to keep him from trying to kill himself once more.  
"So to pay this debt I must remain alive with this guilt." Tallo said unemotionally though his eyes seemed not quite as dead as they had been before. Now creeping back in was the sorrow.  
"Your guilt is part of the price for your actions and to try and escape it would be as though you were trying to forget the cause itself.  
Tallo nodded his head gently causing his long brown hair to cover his eyes. Tallo sat for a moment and then looked into Starwind's eyes for only the second time. Starwind now saw the change, Tallo's eyes had a sense of strength as well as a sense of purpose.  
"If that is what I must do then I will do it and not try to escape anymore." Tallo said in a determined voice.  
Starwind smiled slightly realizing that the strong, stubborn man he met in their argument was Tallo's true self. For the first time he wondered what training the willful young man would be like. This truly would be an interesting apprentionship.  
"Are you ready to start your training." Starwind asked hoping this would not start a new fight. Tallo just nodded his head resigned now to his fate but still the need to make amends remained in his eyes.  
"Come on then." Starwind put his hand out and helped Tallo rise from the bed. The quilt fell away revealing that Tallo was only in a pair of simple brown pants. "First I will show you where the baths are. Starwind lead Tallo to an area of a steaming lake surrounded by high bushes and trees clearly aligned to keep the baths private. Starwind reached down and quickly cleaned his hands in the hot water. "I will leave you here while I go get you some clothing. Before leaving he walked over to a hidden self and got a towel and a bar of soap. I will be back shortly. Just be careful not to get the bandages to wet."  
With that Starwind turned leaving Tallo to his bath. Tallo quickly stripped himself and climbed in the warm water. He sat on a underwater ledge and enjoyed the gentle heat the was relieving the tension in his body. He grabbed the bar from beside the pool and scrubbed himself and his hair careful to used his uninjured arm. After coming clean he allowed his thoughts to turn to the enigma that was Starwind and the place he had been brought to.  
~Everything here looks to be natural and not a real building at all. Then there are all the birds I have seen flying above us. I have never seen so many in one place before and yet Starwind didn't seem disturbed in the least with all the noise they were making. Then there is the fact that he himself has a white hawk as a pet. I have never heard of a white hawk before. Then there is Starwind himself. Not even including how odd he looks with his silver hair and blue eyes which is completely unheard of in my village except for the very old and from what I can tell Starwind isn't that old. Then there is the fact he lives in a tree high above the ground. I was almost tempted to refuse to climb down the latter for fear of falling. Another is the fact he isn't disgusted with the fact I desire men instead he tells me it is normal. What is it with this place? I feel some form of energy flowing from the very land. I just can't figure this place out.~ Tallo sighed and drew himself out of the water wincing as he put pressure on his right arm. Quickly he wrapped himself in the soft towel and waited for Starwind to return.  
  
~~~Starwind POV~~~~  
  
Starwind knew he was taking a risk in leaving Tallo by himself but he could sense that finally Tallo's desire for death was at an end. "Well at least Temporarily." he amended not quite ready to trust Tallo not to go back to bad habits.  
Glancing around him Starwind noticed that most of the people were starting to get up. At least no one should bother Tallo yet. ~I don't think he is ready to face a vale full of people suspicious of him.~ Coming to his eckel Starwind climbed up. Walking to the clothes chest he decided that Tallo was about his size so he could where his clothing.  
He grabbed an soft pair of pants and shirt and headed to the other room where Savil still slept. Glancing in he found her asleep with no intents to join the world of the waking yet with the quilt pulled over her head and only a hand and some gold strands of hair showing.  
Chuckling at Savil's childlike appearance and what she would do if he told her how she appeared he left the room. Walking back to the baths he wondered on Tallo's reactions to his home. Firstly was how Tallo reacted to the ladder. Starwind sometimes forgot the people like Savil were uncomfortable above the ground. Next was the building and the birds. He knew Tallo was curious but he seemed disinclined to voice his questions for fear of appearing rude. Then there was the fact Tallo seemed to be looking for something.  
Starwind continued to think on these while walking back to the springs. There he Tallo wrapped in a towel lost in his thoughts. Making a noise to alert Tallo to his presence he watched as Tallo jumped and quickly turn to look at Starwind. Starwind walked over and handed Tallo the clothes.  
"Here put these on. I will be waiting for you on the path." With that stated Starwind walked away with Tallo watching him. 


End file.
